A feature was identified by Gaunt (Gaunt 2011) as a geophysical
anomaly of approximately 180m in length by 3-11m width running
south-east to north-west through the centre of Castlefield from its
boundary with the Vicar Water.

This feature was sectioned during April
2011 as part of the 19th series of Channel 4’s Time Team (Wessex 2011)
and was found to be a substantial ditch approximately 2.4m in depth.

No
corresponding bank was identified.

Despite excavation during the 2011 evaluation the interpretation of
this feature is still unclear.

Gaunt states that: “The large high
resistance linear anomaly is interpreted as probably a ditch filled with
rubble or the remains of a wall. It lines up with the edge of the
enclosure marked ‘Manor Garth’ on the 1630 William Senior map, and
probably represents the edge of the manorial complex” (Gaunt 2011).

John
Gater’s magnetometry survey interpreted the anomaly as a modern field
boundary on site, and as “an old field boundary seen on first edition OS
mapping” in the subsequent report (Gater 2011, 3).

This attribution of a
modern date for the ditch was also asserted by Professor Mick Aston in
his interview with the Western Daily Press (9 February 2012).

The
archaeological report from Wessex Archaeology uses the same definition
as John Gater for the ditch (Wessex 2011, 7) and also as a substantial
ditch containing medieval pottery (Wessex 2011, 13).

Finally the
programme as aired stated that this was the medieval boundary ditch to
the site.

Given the confusion that has arisen over the attribution of this
feature the evaluation in 2012 will seek to answer the following
questions:

• What is morphology of the feature?
• What period(s) does the feature date from?
• What was the function of the feature?
• Does the feature represent a limit or boundary related to the medieval royal palace on the site?

Agreement has already been made with Keith Challis as editor of the
Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire to produce a
published summary on the findings of the evaluation as part of a wider
article or monograph on the archaeology of medieval King’s Clipstone.

A
“grey literature” site report will also be produced and lodged with the
landowners, site archive, Nottinghamshire HER and English Heritage NMR'.

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